A blog written in the dead of night and delivered to you in a brown paper bag. It’s a cornucopia of tidbits, rants, and observations for the discerning eye. Good luck with all that. Now, for something completely different!

The U.S. Government has listed the Polar Bear as an endangered species. It cites the rapid loss of the ice pack due to global warming as the reason. This is the first time the administration has officially admitted to global warming. Though the Department of the Interior says this shouldn’t be used as a means for addressing the issue of Global Warming, it certainly does say that the Arctic ice is melting at a very rapid pace and the Polar Bear is in danger of extinction. “This listing will not stop global climate change or prevent any sea ice from melting,” said Secretary of the Interior, Dirk Kempthorne. He said he had consulted with the White House on the decision, but “at no time was there ever a suggestion that this was not my decision.” This certainly seems like a step in the right direction though. The Bush Administration and the Federal Government has spent so much time trying to ignore the effects of Global Warming by playing Ostriches with their heads in the sand that it’s about time they pulled them out of the ground and looked around. Unfortuantely, we may have waited too long.

UK RELEASES FILES ON UFO SIGHTINGS.

The Ministry of Defence in Britain has released the files on over 11,000 UFO sightings in Britain. The British Isles have been a UFO hotspot for years and now they have declassified their files deeming UFOs as no threat. It appears the Brits prefer the Close Encounters aliens over the Independence Day version. According to the files, the alien craft come in all shapes and sizes, but the aliens themselves seem to be uniformly green. So much for the “Grays” idea. Though 90 percent of the sightings are dismissed as explainable, 10 percent are left with a question mark. For me it certainly explains the presence of Boy George.

BRIAN URLACHER HOLDS OUT FOR RAISE

Brian Urlacher of the Chicago Bears feels his 56.5 million dollars isn’t enough and wants a raise. He cites his arthritic back as an issue. I wish I could get that kind of money for my arthritis. Urlacher claims that since salary caps now exceed 100 million that his piece of the Bear’s pie should be bigger. He is intending on boycotting the May minicamp in protest. He still has four years to go on his nine year contract. I’m endlessly amazed by the amount of money athletes think they deserve. I agree that football takes a toll, but they knew the job was dangerous when they took it. He signed on the dotted line, he should keep his word. 56 million dollars should be enough for anybody.

MICROSOFT MAY EXTEND LIFE OF XP

Due to pressure from some computer manufacturers, Microsoft may be giving in and not taking XP off the shelf on its deadline date. Vista simply hasn’t worked well. Customers are requesting that their new computer still be loaded with XP and many of the manufacturers have said they will continue to load them through 2009. If you want to continue to get XP you must actually request it on your new computer, but it is still available. Microsoft may be reconsidering pulling it off the shelf on June, 30. Online petitions and negative customer feedback has been ongoing. Face it, Vista needs to go back to the drawing board. XP is a good operating system and if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. It goes to show that if you try to market something crappy, people won’t take it. Apparently computer users aren’t suckers born every minute.

$33 MILLION PAINTING?

Somebody paid $33 million for this? What are they crazy? This is a painting by Lucian Freud and this is the highest price ever paid for a painting by a living artist. It sold Tuesday at Christie’s. I’m sorry but if I had that kind of money, this is not where it would go. A weekend retreat in the Caribbean comes to mind. Sending money to help people in Burma or China also comes to mind. Some people have way too much money and no sense. Almost 350 million dollars was spent on this one auction and most of it by Americans. Christie’s percentage alone must have been incredible. So much for the theory that Americans don’t have much disposable cash. Ugh, I certainly wouldn’t want this painting in my living room.

I'm an Author, Journalist, Columnist, Photographer, Editor and Publisher and have been writing for about 30 years. For several years I published my own magazine about Michigan's Upper Peninsula. I live in Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan. Currently I've been blogging around the internet - MAKE SURE YOU CHECK OUT MY OTHER HUMOR BLOG "What Were They Thinking?" AT: http://mikelclassen.wordpress.comTo learn more about the writer behind the blog, go his website at www.mikelclassen.com Sign the guestbook while you're there.